How to Be Like Rich DeVos: Succeeding with Integrity in Business and Life (Paperback)

~ (Author) "I WILL NEVER FORGET the moment I first met Rich DeVos..." (more)
Key Phrases: life enricher, compassionate capitalism, independent business owners, Grand Rapids, Orlando Magic, Jesus Christ (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Rich DeVos, cofounder of Amway and owner of the Orlando Magic, has battled illness, received a heart transplant and long advocated compassion in business. This book analyzes DeVos's life philosophy, serving up aphorisms, commentary and anecdotes about him. Williams, senior v-p of the Orlando Magic who has worked closely with DeVos for 14 years, and Denney, a business writer, clearly adore DeVos and are enthusiastic converts to his ways. "Many people have mental objections that keep them from becoming life-enhancers and cheerleaders. If you want to be successful, effective and influential like Rich DeVos, then you need to overcome these obstacles and objections," advise the authors. The secret to DeVos's success? He is a man of the people who treats everyone equally well ("the most important friends Rich DeVos has made were not the entertainers and presidents he knew, but the thousands of ordinary people who have known and loved him"). This tribute to a living legend is likely to resonate among readers looking for a positive leader who hasn't been tarnished by the Enron, Worldcom or other business scandals. But the book's overwrought enthusiasm may be unappealing for anyone looking for solid insights into DeVos's business strategies.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Rich DeVos has a simple business philosophy: If you are successful, then you give something back to your community. He is a classic example of what it means to be a good citizen. He is a man of tremendous integrity, unbelievable energy, and great speaking and leadership skills."

(Gerald Ford, Former President of the United States )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 356 pages
• Publisher: HCI (February 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0757301584
• ISBN-13: 978-0757301582
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #104,061 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lessons for Everyone!, March 12, 2004

By A Customer

How successful do you want to be? Is your goal to see your name in the headlines regularly? If so, study the careers of Martha Stewart or Michael Eisner. If, on the other hand, you measure success by lives influenced, then you won't want to miss the classroom offered in How to Be Like Rich DeVos.

Don't know the name? He's not a regular headline maker, but he certainly has spent his life making a difference for others. Co-founder of Amway Corporation and owner of the NBA's Orlando Magic, Rich DeVos has, as the cover suggests, succeeded with integrity in business and in life.

Admittedly a mentee and admirer of DeVos, Pat Williams is Sr. Vice President of the Orlando Magic and author of the popular "How to Be Like..." series. In this fourth title, Williams and co-author Jim Denney dig deep into the goldmine of DeVos's life to present a book that is a treasure-trove of facts, anecdotes and life lessons to grow by. In story after inspiring story, we read of a man determined to succeed, but not in the winner-takes-all method we so often hear about. Unlike many "success" stories, How to Be Like Rich DeVos tells of a man who's spent his life sacrificing to help others, building teams, changing lives and giving the glory to God.

Beginning with the Amway story and traveling into the Orlando Magic, his recent heart transplant and beyond, those who've known and loved Rich DeVos over the years are given voice in this book's almost endless stories. From his successes as well as his failures, readers learn the principles that have driven this amazing life-values that include having the courage to stand up and lead, willingness to take risks, building relationships that last, being a mentor for others, giving, loving your family and your country, and most of all, loving God.

We can live for the moment, or we can live for a legacy. We may not all be able to learn first-hand from Rich DeVos as Pat Williams has, but thanks to How to Be Like Rich, we can all benefit from the lessons of a life that will far outlive the man. If a legacy is what you want to live for, absorb the wealth of How to Be Like Rich DeVos. Maybe it's not too late to start over.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rich is a rare jewel, January 2, 2005

By	Burney Choo (Penang, Malaysia) - See all my reviews

I have always enjoyed reading biographies, mainly to learn from the mistakes of others and to see things from a different perspective. I have read the classic auto-biography of Benjamin Franklin and have gained much insights into what makes a person successful. While definition of success varies from person to person, Rich's success is exactly the kind of success that I am looking for: integrity, faith in God, humility, love for others, and leaving behind a lasting legacy. After reading this book, my response was, "What more do you want out of life?". For those who share the same ideals, reading this book will inspire you to believe that it is possible to live a life of integrity and be successful in this life and the life to come. I have always been looking for someone worthy to emulate and Rich Devos ranks among the top 3 in my list. This book is highly recommended as it inspires me daily to think and act consistently with my beliefs.
I particularly appreciate the format of the book: The author helps the reader to distill and apply the lessons from the life of this great man at the end of each chapter. A worthy investment of your time...Go get it!

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational, March 3, 2004

By	Don Shamir (Blee, OK) - See all my reviews

Rich DeVos is quite an inspirational figure. Any book that can encapsulate his experiences and characterisitcs is a must read. The life lessons that can be taken from this book will prove to be invaluable throughout life. If more of us lived similar to Mr. DeVos, our society would truly be morally wealthy. Not to mention, the picture on the cover is easy on the eyes if I do say so myself.